Combined stoker and fire door



March 16, 1937;

P. A. KETCHPEL COMBINED STOKER AND- FIRE DOOR Original Filed Oct. 6,1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. .Pszubflifefichpeb A TTORNEYS.

March 16, 1937. P. A. KETCII-IPEL COMBINED STOKER AND FIRE DOOR 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 6, 1931 m T01 E N N E R Vt m mfi. MA. [U

Patented Mar. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,0'fi4,124 COMBINEDSTOKER AND FIRE noon.

Paul A. Ketchpel, West Englewood, N. .L, assignor,

by mesne assignments, to The Standard Stoker Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware tember 21, 1933 9 Claims.

This invention relates to firedoors which are employed to close thefiring opening of a furnace and more particularly to that type offiredoor which forms a roof or other Wall portion of a stoker feedconduit adapted to deliver the fuel into the furnace through the firingopening.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.567,215 filed October 6, 1931 and entitled as above.

The main object of the present invention is to provide in a stoker ofthe scatter feed type that delivers fuel into the furnace through thefiring opening, which opening is covered by a pressure fluid operateddoor serving also as a roof or other wall portion for the stokerdischarge conduit delivery mouth, a novel control mechanism which isarranged to control the operation of the stoker in timed relation withthe pressure fluid means for operating the firedoor. By thisarrangement,

whenever the firedoor is to be opened by pressure fluid means for manualfiring or for inspection of the furnace, the operation of the stokerfuel conveying means is interrupted so that the fuel at the stokerdischarge conduit delivery mouth may not fall onto the cab deck when thedoor is opened. This phase of the invention also contemplates theprovision of added means in the control mechanism whereby the fuel atthe stoker discharge conduit delivery mouth above the 0 level of thedistributing means is projected into the furnace prior to the opening ofthe firedoor, thereby allowing the full use of the firing opening forinspection or manual firing of the boiler.

On the drawings 5 Fig. 1 is a central vertical longitudinal view of therearward portion of a locomotive showing the invention in position withportions broken w y i Fig. 2 is an elevation of the boiler backwallshowing the invention partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to a portion of Figure 2 showing the controlmechanism in one of its phases;

Fig, 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sec- 5 tional view throughthe backwall and the firing opening showing theconstruction of the novelflexible firedoor; v

Fig. 5is a sectional view of a control valve; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the latch arrangement for holding thedoor in its uppermost position.

H The invention is shown as being applied to a a locomotive Ahaving afirebox It, the grates l l and a fir n p ing 12; in the firebox backwallI3. Extending rearwardly of the backwall I3 is a cab I4, provided with adeck l5 which is below the lower marginal edge of the firing opening I2.

A stoker generally designated at B extends forwardly from the tender(not shown) and includes a conduit I6 leading from the tender fuel binhaving a screw conveyor lBd therein for advancing fuel therethrough anda riser conduit including a curved nozzle or discharge conduit l1secured to the backwall I3 and a head portion 8| surmounting thedischarge conduit I1 and ar ranged to discharge fuel into the fireboxthrough the firing opening l2. The conduit l6 and the discharge H areflexibly related at their adjacent ends as at l8 to permit articulationtherebetween. A distributor plate l9 extends forwardly from thedischarge conduit I! through the firing opening 12- and, in conjunctionwith a pressure fluid head 20, distributes fuel to all parts of thefire. The pressure fluid head 20 is located rearward of the distributorplate [9 and is arranged to issue blasts of pressure fluid through thejet openings 2| in its front face 22. Lead lines 23 supplypressure'fluid such as steam to the distributor head 20. The dischargeconduit I1 is truncated at its upper portion as at 24 in substantiallythe plane of the distributor plate l9' to form a delivery mouth 25 whichflares laterally to substantially the width of the firing opening I2. I

'A firedoor C for the firing opening I2 is arranged to move up and downand in its lowered position assumes a rearwardly and downwardly curvingconfiguration indicated at 26 and rests upon the truncated portion ofthe discharge conduit forming a closure therewith for the opening I2against outside exposure. In this position the firedoor 0 extends asufiicient distance above the plane of the distributor plate Hi to allowthe column of fuel advancing through the discharge conduit to assume itsangle of repose with the front face 22 of the distributor head 20. y

The movable door C comprises a flat platelike portion 21 and a flexibleportion 28 depending therefrom. The flexible portion 28 includes thesegments 29 which have their adjacent faces 34a in the sidewalls 35,35a, respectively, which are formed integral with the door frame Fsecured to the backwall l3 for receiving the slid-, ing door C. Thesidewalls 35, 35a extend rearward from the lower portion of the doorframe F and are spaced apart a distance equal substantially to the widthof the stoker discharge conduit mouth portion. These side walls formcontinuations of the side Walls of the riser conduit 80 constitutingsupporting walls for the fuel discharged from the riser conduit. Atransversely extending plate-like member or brace 82 adjacent the uppermarginal edge of the firing opening connects the upwardly extendedportions of the side walls 35 and 35a. The contiguous edges of the upperend of the rear wall of the conduit 80, the transverse brace 82 and thatportion of the side walls 35, 35a therebetween form an aperture in theupper side of the discharge conduit. It will be noted that thehorizontal distance between the longitudinal extremities of theaforesaid aperture is greater than the longitudinal horizontal distanceacross the feed conduit adjacent the lower extremity of said aperture,which lower extremity is, of course, the upper edge of the rear wall ofthe conduit and the other extremity is formed by the transverse brace82. The door C forms a movable closure for the aperture and as such alsomay be considered as a firedoor for the firing opening' l2.

The door C may be power operated and for this purpose a motor cylinder36, housing a piston 31 is attached to the door frame F. The piston 31is operatively connected to a lever 38 which is iulcrumed as at 39 andconnected to the first plate-like portion 21 of the door C as by meansof the roller 48 which is received by the channelled portion 4| of thearm 38. A handle 42 extending outwardly from said arm 38 is provided forthe manual operation of the door C which may be retained in an openedposition by means of the latch 43 engaging the lug 43a formed on saiddoor. Pressure fluid, such as compressed air, is supplied to the motorcylinder 36 by the lead 44 for power operation of the door.

A control mechanism, generally indicated at 45 controls the supply ofcompressed air for the opening of the door C and is also arranged tointerrupt the operation of the stoker in a manner as will now bedescribed.

The control mechanism 45 comprises a body 46 encasing the chambers 41and 48 which house the valves 41a and 48a respectively. A lead 49supplies compressed air to the chamber 41 for admission to the lead line50 when the valve 41a is raised as by means of the lever arm 5| movableby pressure on the pedal arm 52. Steam is supplied by the pipe 53 to thechamber 48 from whence it passes into the pipe 54 for supplying steamfor the stoker prime mover, diagrammatically shown at M. The valve 48ais provided with a stem 55 to which is secured a spring 56. The spring56 rests on an extension 5|a of the lever arm 5| and is of a suitablestrength, to cause the valve 48a to be seated, against the pressure inthe steam pipe 53 when the lever arm 5| is raised.

Suppose now, that the stoker is in operation delivering fuel to thefirebox and the door C is closed, and the fireman wishes to open thedoor. He depresses the pedal arm 52, causing the free end of the leverarm 5| to be raised. The lever arm 5| in its upward movement contactsthe p ng 56, pushes it, together with the attached valve stem 55 andvalve 48a upwardly to seat the valve 48a, thereby interrupting thepassage of steam from the steam supply pipe 53 to the pipe 54 and as aresult halting the operation of the 7 stoker. Further, pressure of thepedal arm 52 will cause the lever arm 5| to compress the spring 56 sothat the lever arm 5| may travel upwardly a suificient distance tounseat the valve 41a, allowing compressed air to pass from the lead 49into the lead 58 to supply compressed air to the motor cylinder 36through a regulating valve 51 which serves to connect pressure fluidlines 58 and 59, each of which branches from the steam pipe 53 and toconnect the compressed air lines 58 and 44.

The regulating valve 5'! comprises a cylinder 18 housing a valve membertherein which is provided with the piston 60 and the stem 6| recessed asat 62 so that when the piston 60 is moved upwardly, the pressure fluidlines 58 and 59 are in communication with each other. A fluid line 63branches from the pressure fluid line 58 and communicates with a chamberor header 64 at the rear of the discharge conduit H, the header 64 beingarranged to issue blasts of pressure! fluid forwardly therefrom at aboutthe plane of the distributor plate |9 for projecting into the fireboxthe column of fuel which is above the truncated portion 24 of thedischarge conduit, prior to the opening of the firedoor C.

Branching from the steam pipe 53 is a lead 65 which supplies steam tothe pressure fluid head 26 through the lead lines 23 which branch fromsaid lead 65. The fluid leads 63 and 65 are connected by a check valve66 which normally is seated as shown in Figure 2 by the pressure in thelead 65. The fluid leads 58, 59 and 65 are provided with the valves 58a,59a and 65a respectively, the valve 58a being normally closed, and beingopened only when it is desired to project forwardly the fuel in thatportion of the discharge conduit mouth portion rearward of the steamhead independently of the use of the regulating valve. The valve 59a ispreferably opened to admit steam more freely through the lead 59 andhence into the recess 62 of the valve stem 6| than is allowed to passthrough the valve 65a of the pressure head lead 65.

The cylinder 18 of the regulating valve 51 is covered by a cap 12 havingan atmospheric opening 13 in the flange 14 communicating with said.

cylinder and is provided with a recess 15 suitable to accommodate theextension I! of the piston 68. A controllable valve 18 is threaded intothe cap 12 to control the size of the atmospheric opening 19 which is incommunication with said recess 15.

By referring to Figures 2, 3 and 5, it will be observed that when thepedal arm 52 is depressed to interrupt the operation of the stokerdriving engine, a further pressure thereon will cause the lever arm 5|to raise the valve 41a providing communication between the compressedair line 49 and the lead 58 and permitting compressed air to enter thelead 50 from the lead 49 thereby raising the piston 68 and the stem 6|thereof. The upward movement of the piston 60 will then connect thepressure fluid leads 58 and 59 causing the relatively high pressure ofsteam to enter the branch lead 63 for supplying steam to the chamber 64for projecting into the firebox the column of fuel above the distributorplate H) at the rear thereof. At the same time, the higher steampressure in the lead 63 will unseat the check valve 66 as shown inFigure 3, thereby admitting higher steam pressure to the pressure fluidhead 28 for assisting the projection of fuel into the firebox.

A short interval after the valve member H in its upward movement haseffected communication between the leads 58and 59 through its recessedportion 62, it effects in itscontinued upward movement, communicationbetween the compressedair lines 50 and 44 when the piston 60 israisedabove the point at which the line 44 opens into the cylinder-l0.Communication between the lines 50, and 44 being established, compressedair passes from theline 50 into the line 44 and thence to the motorcylinder36 for opening the door C.

It will be understood that the upward movement of the piston 60 from theposition shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 3 will be almostinstantaneous being admitted by the atmospheric opening 13 thus allowingthe pressure fluid leads 58 and 59-to be connected quickly, permittingsteam to pass from the supply pipe 53, through the lead 59, into thecylinder 10, then successively through the leads 58 and 63 to the header64, from which steam is emitted for proj.ecting the fuel forwardly whichis rearward and above the plane of the distributor plate. The furtherupward traverse of the piston 60 will be at a slower rate of speedcommensurate with the size of the atmospheric opening 19 as controlledby the valve 18 for allowing the air in the recess 15 to be compressedand evacuated by the upward movement of the extension 11 of the piston60. "Thus, after the pressure fluid leads 58 and 59 are quicklyconnected, they will remain in communication with each other for aninterval of time, as regulated by the valve 18, sufficient to projectall of the fuel forwardly which is rearward of the distributor plate andabove the plane thereof. v V From the foregoing it will be apparent thatI have provided a novel Stoker control mechanism in conjunction with apressure fluid operated door which is particularly useful andadvantageous for use with stokers which discharge fuel through thefiring opening closed by a firedoor forming a roof or other wall portionfor said stoker discharge mouth.

I claim:

1. In combination with a furnace having a firing opening, a stoker fordelivering fuel from a source of supply to said firing opening includinga riser conduit having a lower inclined portion and an upwardly andforwardly curved upper portion embracing said firing opening, anupwardly and downwardly movable door in said curved upper portionproviding access to said firing opening, pressure fluid operated meansfor operating said stoker, pressure fluid operated means for openingsaid door, a supply line for delivering fluid under pressure to saidstoker operating means, a supply line for delivering fluid underpressure to said door opening means and mechanism arranged to interruptthe delivery of pressure fluid to said stoker operating means and todeliver pressure fluid to said door opening means thereafter.

2. In combination with a firebox having a backwall provided with afiring opening therethrough, a stoker having a discharge conduitassociated therewith, said discharge conduit attached to said backwalland arranged to deliver fuel from a source of supply tosaidfiringopening, a lead for supplying fluid under pressure for operatingsaid stoker, a hood portion surmounting said discharge conduit andembracing said firing opening, an opening in said hood portionpermitting access to said firing opening, a door for the opening in,said hood portion, a motor for opening said door,

a line for supplying pressure fluid to said motor,

and mechanism for controlling the flow of fluid through said 'lead andthrough said line, said mechanism being arranged to interrupt the flow'of pressure fluid through said lead and to admit pressure fluid to saidline thereafter.

3. In combination with a firebox having a backwall provided with afiring opening therethrough, a stoker having a discharge conduitassociated therewith, said discharge conduit being arranged to deliverfuel from a source of supply to said firing opening, a prime mover foroperating said stoker, a lead for supplying pressure fluid to the primemover, a hood portion surmounting said discharge conduit and embracingsaid firing opening, an opening in said hood portion permitting accessto said firing opening, a door for the opening in said hood portion, amotor for opening said door, alead for supplying pressure fluid to saidmotor, and mechanism for controlling the flow of pressure fluid throughsaid leads, said mechanism being arranged to interrupt the flow ofpressure fluid to said stoker prime mover and to admit pressure fluid tothe door opening motor thereafter.

4. In combination with a firebox having a backwall provided with afiring opening there through, a stoker having a discharge conduitassociated therewith, said discharge conduit attached to said backwalland having a mouth portion adjacent said firing opening for the deliveryof fuel to said opening, a fuel distributor plate arranged to receivefuel from said discharge conduit, a pressure fluid head immediatelyrearward of said distributor plate for projecting the fluid into thefirebox, a lead for supplying pressure fluid to said head, a doorrearward of said firing opening having a rearwardly and downwardlymclined portion serving as a roof for said discharge conduit mouthportion, a motor for opening said door, a lead for supplying pressurefluid to said motor, a prime mover for said stoker, a lead for supplyingpressure fluid to said prime mover, mechanism for controlling the flowof pressure fluid through said prime mover and motor supply leads, saidmechanism being arranged to interrupt the flow of pressure through saidprime mover supply lead and admit pressure fluid to said motor supplylead thereafter, a pressure fluid chamber rearward of said pressurefluid head arranged to issue blasts of pressure fluid across saiddischarge conduit mouth portion, a lead for supplying pressure fluid tosaid chamber, and valve mechanism interposed in said motor supply leadand said chamber supply lead arranged to admit pressure fluid to saidchamber and to said door opening motor.

5. In combination with a firebox having a backwall provided with afiring opening therethrough, a stoker having a discharge conduitassociated therewith, said discharge conduit attached to said b-ackwalland having a mouth portion adjacent said firing opening for the deliveryof fuel to said opening, a fuel distributor plate arranged to receivefuel from said discharge conduit, a pressure fluid head immediatelyrearward of said distributor plate for projecting the fuel into thefirebox, a lead for supplying pressure fluid to said head, a doorrearward of said firing opening having a rearwardly and downwardlyinclined portion serving as a roof for said discharge conduit mouthportion, a motor for opening said door, a lead for supplying pressurefluid to said motor, a prime mover for said Stoker, a lead for supplyingpressure fluid to said prime mover, mechanism for controlling the flowof pressure fluid through said prime mover and motor supply leads, saidmechanism being arranged to interrupt the flow of pressure fluid throughsaid prime mover supply lead and admit pressure fluid to said motorsupply lead thereafter, a pressure fluid chamber rearward of saidpressure fluid head arranged to issue blasts of pressure fluid acrosssaid discharge conduit mouth portion, a lead for supplying pressurefluid to said chamber, and valve mechanism interposed in said motorsupply lead and said chamber supply lead for admitting pressure fluid tosaid chamber and to said door opening motor, said valve mechanismarranged to admit pressure fluid to said chamber before pressure fluidis admitted to said door opening motor.

6. In combination with a furnace having a firing opening, a stokerhaving a discharge conduit arranged to deliver fuel to said firingopening, a hood portion surmounting said discharge conduit and embracingsaid firing opening, a door in said hood portion providing access tosaid firing opening, a distributor plate extending forwardly from theupper forward edge of said discharge conduit through said firingopening, a pressure fluid distributor head adjacent the rear of saiddistributor plate, a pressure fluid chamber at the upper rearward edgeof said discharge conduit arranged to issue blasts of pressure fluidacross said discharge conduit mouth portion, means for opening saiddoor, means for operating said stoker and mechanism arranged tointerrupt the operation of the stoker, said mechanism arranged toincrease the fluid pressure in said distributor head and admit pressurefluid to said pressure fluid chamber at an interval after saidinterruption, and thereafter to open said door.

'7. In a firebox having a wall provided with a firing opening therein, acasing communicating with said firing opening, means for delivering fuelto the firing opening through said casing, said casing having anaperture therein opposite the firing opening, a door arranged to form aclosure for said aperture, means for opening said door and mechanism forrendering the fuel delivery means inoperative, said mechanism beingarranged to render said door opening means operative thereafter.

8. In a firebox having a Wall provided with a firing opening therein, astoker conduit in communication with the firing opening, means fordelivering fuel through the stoker conduit, a door forming a part of thestoker conduit, power actuated mechanism for opening the door and poweractuated mechanism for operating said fuel delivery means, a line forsupplying fluid under pressure to said door opening mechanism, a leadfor sup-plying fluid under pressure to the mechanism operating said fueldelivery means, a valve in said line and a valve in said lead, andmechanism for successively closing said last named valve and openingsaid first named valve.

9. In a firebox having a wall provided with a firing opening therein, astoker having a casing communicating with said firing opening, saidcasing having an aperture therein opposite the fir.- ing opening, a doorarranged to form a closure for said aperture, a pressure fluid chamberat the rear of said casing arranged to emit blasts of pressure fluidagainst the fuel in said casing and projecting it through said firingopening, means for opening said door, means for operating said stokerand mechanism arranged for successively interrupting the operation ofsaid stoker, thereafter admitting pressure fluid to said pressure fluidchamber and thereafter rendering said door opening means operative.

PAUL A. KETCI-IPEL.

